The impressive progress of medical knowledge and technology reinforces our trust in the scientific methodology that made it all possible. However, that progress also creates risks related to the primary goal of medical care: to serve our patients’ interests and enjoyment of life in the best possible way. In this article we present our views…
Some were furious. State by state, laws were enacted to ensure compliance. In most states, the laws were accompanied by a modest fine, as an added incentive. By the time the laws were written, most understood they were based on good science and common sense. The potential to save lives and prevent tragedy was finally…
On July 20, 1969, at 10:56 p.m. EDT, American astronaut Neil Armstrong stepped off the lunar landing module, Eagle, and walked on the moon.1 Or so they would have you believe. For most, the basic facts are not in dispute: On May 25, 1961, President John F. Kennedy delivered a speech to a joint session…
On Dec. 17, 1903, at 10:35 a.m., the restraining wire was released. The Wright brothers—Orville and Wilbur—owned a bicycle sales and repair shop called the Wright Cycle Exchange, in Dayton, Ohio. At the time, the popularity of bicycles was exploding, thanks to an innovation that made them much easier (and safer) to ride. The money…
I have been tongue-tied, of late. When I was a medical student, I was told not to turn the physical examination into an aerobic workout. This sage piece of advice was imparted by my physical examination preceptor, who had watched me perform a complete examination on a hapless volunteer. At the time, I thought of…
On March 29, Brandon Elliot walked up to a 65-year-old Filipino American woman near Times Square and kicked her in the chest. Footage from the security camera of a nearby luxury apartment building recorded the attack: Elliot shoved her to the ground, and then repeatedly kicked and stomped on her, while shouting, “You don’t belong…
Independence Day. I can’t wait. Generally, it’s not a holiday that carries a lot of meaning for me. Having grown up in New York and Boston, the smaller firework displays that take place in Baltimore fail to impress. Also, as a program director, the holiday falls in the middle of the new fellows’ first week…
I’m a believer in blue light. I’ve spent years lecturing my insomniac patients, buzzed on prednisone, on the importance of good sleep hygiene. In my own home, I try to practice what I preach. When I’m ready for bed, I leave my laptop and phone on my nightstand, and concentrate on relaxing. If I can’t…
Each state has different requirements for residents to obtain a coronavirus vaccination, with some allowing preregistration and others coordinating vaccinations via employers or the local health department. Below, we list some online resources created to help people determine whether they qualify for coronavirus vaccination and where they should go to schedule an appointment, broken down…
I read with interest the case report of a patient with lupus enteritis in the February 2021 issue of The Rheumatologist, and I thought the diagnostic approach and final diagnosis were very well presented; however, I noticed an omission which in my view is quite relevant to this patient’s overall management and to so many…